Fuel cell system

Abstract

A fuel cell system is equipped with a first fuel cell, a second fuel cell, a scavenging device that can scavenge the first fuel cell and the second fuel cell independently of each other, and a control device configured to control the scavenging device. An electric power generation volume of the second fuel cell is smaller than an electric power generation volume of the first fuel cell. The control device is configured to scavenge the second fuel cell.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fuel cell system comprising:
 a first fuel cell and a second fuel cell;   a scavenging device that can scavenge the first fuel cell and the second fuel cell independently of each other; and   a control device configured to control the scavenging device, wherein   an electric power generation volume of the second fuel cell is smaller than an electric power generation volume of the first fuel cell, and   the control device is configured to scavenge the second fuel cell.   
     
     
         2 . The fuel cell system according to  claim 1 , wherein the control device is not configured to scavenge the first fuel cell. 
     
     
         3 . The fuel cell system according to  claim 1 , wherein the control device is configured to scavenge the first fuel cell with an amount of electric power consumption that is smaller than an amount of electric power consumed by scavenging the second fuel cell. 
     
     
         4 . The fuel cell system according to  claim 3 , wherein the control device is configured to scavenge the first fuel cell and the second fuel cell such that a scavenging period of the first fuel cell and a scavenging period of the second fuel cell at least partially overlap with each other. 
     
     
         5 . The fuel cell system according to  claim 3 , wherein the control device is configured to start and complete scavenging of the first fuel cell in a period in which scavenging of the second fuel cell is carried out. 
     
     
         6 . The fuel cell system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a third fuel cell with an electric power generation volume that is larger than the electric power generation volume of the second fuel cell, wherein   the scavenging device can scavenge the first fuel cell, the second fuel cell, and the third fuel cell independently of one another, and   the control device is not configured to scavenge the third fuel cell.   
     
     
         7 . The fuel cell system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a third fuel cell with an electric power generation volume that is equal to the electric power generation volume of the second fuel cell, wherein   the scavenging device can scavenge the first fuel cell, the second fuel cell, and the third fuel cell independently of one another, and   the control device is configured to scavenge the third fuel cell.   
     
     
         8 . The fuel cell system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a third fuel cell with an electric power generation volume that is smaller than the electric power generation volume of the second fuel cell, wherein   the scavenging device can scavenge the first fuel cell, the second fuel cell, and the third fuel cell independently of one another, and   the control device is not configured to scavenge the third fuel cell.   
     
     
         9 . The fuel cell system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 each of the first fuel cell and the second fuel cell is equipped with a plurality of single cells,   an electric power generation volume of each of the single cells is a value obtained by multiplying an electric power generation area of each of the single cells and an electrode thickness of each of the single cells by each other,   the electric power generation volume of the first fuel cell is a sum of electric power generation volumes of the plurality of the single cells with which the first fuel cell is equipped, and   the electric power generation volume of the second fuel cell is a sum of electric power generation volumes of the plurality of the single cells with which the second fuel cell is equipped.   
     
     
         10 . The fuel cell system according to  claim 1 , wherein the control device is configured to scavenge only the second fuel cell in stopping electric power generation by the first fuel cell and the second fuel cell.